Brick-kiln.



W. T. HURD.

BRICK KILN.

APPLIUATIOH FILED JUNI123, 1909.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

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W. T. HURD.

BRICK KILN. APPLICATION IILEDJUHE 23, 1909.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

mvEnToR I HIS ATTORNEY WILLIAM T. HURD, OF ROCHESTER BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRICK-KILN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

Application filed June 23, 1909. Serial No. 503,786.

'1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLTAM T. Horn), a citizen of the United States, and residing in the borough of Rochester, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have in vented or discovered new and useful Im provements in Brick-Kilns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a new and improved kiln for burning brick and similar material.

In the forms of kilns now in general use, it is impossible to properly distribute the heat in the interior of the kiln to uniformly burn the brick contained therein so that the brick contained in the bottom eight or ten courses come out of the kiln improperly burned and cannot be used. In my improved kiln the heat is thoroughly and uniformly diffused throughout the interior so that the bricks contained in the bottom courses are as thoroughly burned as those at the top of the pile. I accomplish this end by constructing in the fioor of my kiln two series of concentric semiannular fines, one of which series discharges into a radial fiue leading to a vertical chimney, while the other series discharges into a second radial fine leading to a second vertical chimney, said radial fines being preferably in aline ment but separated from each other at their adjacent ends. Dampers are provided to regulate the drafts in said fines. Ports'lead downwardly from the floor surface of the kiln into said semi-annular fines whereby the products of combustion arising from the fire arches of the kiln to the crown thereof are drawn down through said ports which are so distributed that the heat is diffused uniformly over the fioor, thus reaching every portion thereof. Inclined ports are also provided leading from the surface of the fioor between the fire bags into the outer members of said series of fines.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of my kiln, partly in vertical section to show construction; Fig. 2 is a broken plan view showing the adjacent ends of the two radial fines, while Fig. 3 is a floor plan of the kiln with portions of the -fioor and the tops of the fines removed and the .outer wall of the kiln shown in horizontal section through the upper portions of the fire arches.

The following is a detailed description of the drawings, which, however, are merely illustrative of the principles of my invention and not intended to limit the scope thereof to the construction shown.

1 represents the outer circumferential wall of the kiln substantially constructed of brick 01' other suitable material and supporting the usual domed roof, 2.

are the usual fire arches provided with grates 1% upon which the fires are maintained. Any number of fire arches required may be provided. In the drawings which represent a kiln thirty feet in diameter, I have shown twelve fire arches as the preferable number.

55 are the bags built within the wall 1 at each fire arch. Said bags consist of a rear wall spaced about eighteen inches inside the wall 1 and two side walls connecting said rear wall to the wall 1 at a point about a foot on each side of the fire arches. Said bags are built up for about five feet or between one and two feet above the top of the fire arch. It is evident that Qvid bags prevent the direct impact of the fire upon the green bricks in the kiln and direct the prod uclts of combustion toward the top of the ki 11.

Beneath the floor of the kiln I construct two radial fines, 6 and 6 preferably in alinementbut prevent communication between their inner ends by means of a vertical wall 7. The cross sectional size of said fines is preferably enlarged at their inner ends, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and spur walls, 88, are provided, dividing the eX tremities of the flues into two compartments, 9 9, to which ports 1010 lead down from the central portion of the kiln fioor. The fines 6 and 6 lead through the wall 1 of the kiln and discharge into vertical chimneys, 11 and 11 respectively, which chimneys are provided with suitable dampers, 12 and 12, respectively, to control the drafts.

Beneath the fioor of the kiln I build of brick or other suitable material two concentric series of substantially semiannular fines, 13, 14, '15 and 16 and 13, 14 15 and 16. The fines 13, 14, 15 and 16 are closed at one end and the other end discharges into the radial fines 6, while the series 13*, 14 15 and 16 are similarly constructed but discharge into radial fines 6*. It is evident that each radial fiue draws from a series as above described. The size of the fines increases from the center, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. 1717 illustrate series of ports leading down through the floor of the kiln into said fiues, the size of the ports being proportioned to the size of the fiues. These ports are distributed over the floor of the kiln, and to reach the portions of said floor between the bags 55, I provide inclined ports 1818 leading from such portion of the floor into the outer flues 16 and 16 The spaces between the fiues and between the outer flues, 16 and 16 and the wall 1, are tamped tightly with dirt and a floor, 19, of clay is tamped down on top of the flues to give a level surface broken only by the ports 1010, 1717 and 1818.

2020 are two doors to afford entrance to the kiln placed diametrically opposite each other in the wall 1.

The operation of my improved kiln is as follows :The kiln is filled with green brick built up with interstices for the passage of the heat to conform generally with the interior contour of the kiln. The doors 2020 are now bricked up to prevent the entrance of cold air and fires are started and maintained in the fire arches 3-3' on the grates 4-4:. The heat and products of combustion pass up through bags 55 to the top of the kiln and are then drawn downwardly by the draft from the chimneys 11 and 11 through ports 1010, 1717 and 1818 into the radial flues 6 and 6 whence they pass into the chimneyfi. The tendency of the heat is to pass down in the center of the kiln so that the ports through which the heat and products of combustion pass into the fiues are increased in size from the center of the kiln toward the outer wall 1, so that this increased draft thus provided aids in distributing the heat uniformly over the kiln floor. In case the heat becomes greater on one side of the kiln than on the other, this may be corrected by the adjustment of the proper damper to reduce the draft on that side so that each side draws equally, and an equal amount of heat is secured for each side of the kiln.

I have shown two series of concentric, substantially semiannular fines and two radial fines, thus providing a double draft system, but it will be understood that the concentric fiues may be of a less are than that shown and any number of concentric series may be provided, each series being connected up with a radial flue and vertical draft chimney.

Actual use of my improved kiln has shown that the bricks are burned uniformly throughout the pile contained in the kiln without regard to their location therein, the bricks in the bottom courses being of the same good quality as the rest of the product. The combustion of fuel is perfect, no smoke issuing from the chimneys, and the process of buring the bricks is shortened by several days compared to the forms of kilns now in general use.

What I desire to claim is A kiln having, in combination, unconnected radial fiues in its floor dividing said floor into segments, a vertical chimney leading from the outer end of each of said radial fiues, means for regulating the draft in said chimneys, a series of concentric flues occupying each floor segment and extending from the circumference to the center thereof, the same ends of all the members of each series of concentric flues being closed and all the opposite ends opening into a radial flue, all the open ends of each series of concentric flues being adjacent all the closed ends of the next series of fines, and each radial flue communicating with but one series of concentric fiues at one side thereof and the floor having openings therethrough leading to said concentric flues.

Signed at Pittsburg, Pa. this 19th day of June, 1909.

WILLIAM T. HURD.

Witnesses:

A. W. FoRsYTH, E. A. LAURENCE. 

